Secrets in the Capital
by MoonlightxMidnight
Summary: How far will you go to save the one you love?
1. Chapter 1: The Bread Boy

**Life in the Capital**

How far will you go to save the one you love?

Chapter one

The Capital is not fully rich and fabulous as some may say. In fact, there is a lot of dirty dusty hidden shacks around the Capital that was safe, hidden for the people in the distracts that got away from the hunger games, and my family, or what was left of my family lives in one of these old shacks that we call home.

As soon as my father died, my mother mentally died with him, making me the strong one in our family to bring home the bread, and keep a strong face for Prim. Prim is my beautiful little sister, my life. She is the only one that keeps me from slitting my wrists at night, when the newscast comes on and Snow's snakelike eyes fill the screen. I hope he dies a slow and painful for what he has done to our country.

We lived back in district 12, poverty stricken, and full of diseases. After father died is when I decided to fucking leave. It wasn't so easy. Gale, my best friend, maybe one day my lover, saved us from that wretched place as he was none other than a mine worker that helped the 5 year production of a safe secret path to the Capital. I owe my life to him. I owe him more than that, but my heart doesn't allow it, not after what love did to my mother.

Now I am Katniss Everdeen, seventeen year old girl looking for food in the ruined backstreets of the Capital. It's raining; the thick smell of smoke coming from the industrial factories makes me sick. As I go to a nearby garbage shoot to puke in, I realized someone is talking from a distance.

"Hey little cat, you sure are ugly aren't you?" the voice chuckled, "but that's alright, even the ugly things need to eat too."

I listen to their conversation, sneaking closer to the voice as I near another corner and see the streets are packed with people. I make another turn, and I quickly hide as I see a boy who looks about the same age as me, give the cat a loaf of cheese bread. I plan a strategy that once the boy goes in, I'm jacking the cat's food. Why should the cat have it when a poor family is starving, nearly left dead for survival?

"Fucking cat…" I accidentally whisper, but it's too late, the boy looks up, "hey, is anyone there? Show yourself." I don't show him anything, as I start to turn around and run. I don't know who he is. He's from the Capital. A monster, cheering for death and not caring which families will suffer.

It's cold and slippery as I hear his footsteps following me. I've outran almost anything, this boy is no match for me. The only problem is that I don't know these parts of the Capital very well. It feels like a maze that I can't escape from. Is this how the hunger games arena feels like? But I hear him, how could I not hear him? He won't give up as his footsteps yearn for mine. I make two left corners and a right, and I'm cornered. I can't hide. Oh well, at least if I die, I died trying.

The boy catches up and he's panting, the rain drenching his clothes that were once dry. His apron clings to him, flour patterns everywhere. He's a baker.

"Why did you run?" I give him no answer. Instead, I keep looking for an escape. There's enough room on either side of him. If I run and duck, I can get away from him. "Wait!" he yells.

I don't see the big bulging gap in the cement that sends me falling. But I don't fall, instead, two strong arms grab a hold of me around my waist and I look into the most crystal clear blue eyes I've ever seen. His hair clings to his forehead, and with the street lamps I can tell it's a nice shade of blonde. I notice that he has specks of flour on his cheeks.

It almost feels as if I'm stricken by lightning. "Peeta." he says, staring into my eyes, like he's trying to find something deep inside of me. At this point the only thing he'll find is hunger.

"Katniss." He straightens me up, but doesn't let go of me. I'm too tired to push him away, and I won't admit that I like the heat that radiates from him.

"Why did you leave?" his eyebrow pops up, and I see a drop of rain swivel down to his face. I still don't answer. I can't trust him. He's from the Capital, I'm not known to be a foolish girl. "You're shivering. Let's get you inside at least. I won't push you to talk if you don't want to. But you'll be warm and safe with me."

I don't know why I followed. Was it desperation? Starvation? Or have I given up?

Peeta leads me back to the building that I was momentarily creeping on. The cat is already gone, but a few crumbs are left in its place.

"This was my dad's old shop before I became a real baker for the Capital." He explains, opening up the door for me. "All shipments of the stuff I order come here. I occasionally bake when I get hungry though." On the counter he has a loaf of cheese buns in a stack of a pyramid. My mouth waters at the smell.

Peeta's face frowns when he hears my stomach rumbling. "Take as many as you want." I take three and stuff two in my pocket "For my family" I explain, eating my bread wantonly. "Then take all of them, I can always make more"

I smile, for once, not a fake one. "Thank you Peeta. I must be going now. It's late, and my mother will be worried, if she even notices."

I turn around to leave, but he grabs my hand. "Will you come by tomorrow, maybe a little earlier?" He's hopeful, and I nod in reassurance. It's weird, but something tells me to trust him. Maybe his life at the Capital isn't so great either.

I come home to see my mother intoxicated on the couch. Her drug this week to knock her out is gas fumes. I take her upstairs into her own bed and cover her up. The only reason I do is because I don't want Prim to see this kind of shit.

.


	2. Chapter 2: The Offer

**Secrets in the Capital**

**How far will you go to save the one you love?**

**Chapter two: The Offer**

I see Peeta every day for a week. We exchange small talk and he gives me bread.

I wake up one morning to the constant chirping from birds. Prim sleeps beside me, all warm and cozy from the sheets I wrapped us in. Mother is still passed out. She won't be awake until noon. It's a shame. I carefully try to roll out of bed, but the disturbance wakes up Prim.

"Katniss? Why are you up so early?" I rub her head a couple times as she quietly doses off again. "Just try to sleep a couple more hours, little duck. It's too early. I have a surprise for you when you wake up."

I kept the cheese buns on the counter. I'm surprised that there are no bug bites on it. I put on my tight shoes that barley even fit me and my father's old hunting coat. I feel like he's still with me, wherever I go. That's the only comfort I allow myself to have. Today will be a good day. Wow. I'm actually optimistic, maybe that bread boy was the one who did it. I'm actually thankful I met him, because for once, Prim gets something that isn't watered down or bits and pieces to someone's leftovers.

I plan to steal milk for her, make it a special occasion. I have to be sneaky though, the peacekeepers are everywhere. I climb up a ladder from an apartment building and quickly shuffle my feet on the edge to a nearby window. Great, looks like I hit the kitchen too. I'm envious at the stocked pantry when I notice the white container on the third shelf. Perfect…

I never usually do this, only when I am very desperate. One wrong move could mean that I'm dead, my family is dead, and that I failed Prim to keep her safe. Fuck I forgot my bow and arrows, stupid Katniss you know better than to go unarmed.

I try to open the window, it doesn't quite budge as I force it open with all my strength. I lose my footing, and I scream. My hand catches the ledge and I'm dangling 5 stories high. If I wasn't so goddamn clumsy I could have prevented this.

I can't scream for help. I can't hold on much longer…

Peeta's POV:

The next shiftment was ready. I had to be up at 6am. Who in their right mind gets up at 6am? Well I do. But I can't complain that much, because I get to see the beautiful sunrise. The way the orange breaks out, and the blue sky welcomes the new day. It's nice, but it doesn't have to be so damn cold every morning. It pisses me off. My mind wonders about that girl I met last week. Katniss…

Her name rings in my ears, and it seems to make it impossible for me to stop thinking about her. The way I found her falling into me. It feels as if I fell into her. She smelt like sewage, but I don't blame her. I can obviously tell she is living on the streets. I feel the need to help her. This sudden urge to be around her possesses me in some way.

Lost in my thoughts, I hear a piercing scream. It's coming from the north end. I run for some reason, having a good idea where the scream could be. My ears are keen on finding random shit. I still don't know why I'm running. I have no weapons to hurt anybody in case it was gangsters from the other homeless people in the Capital.

The scream stops and I'm standing beside a giant ladder to a building. I see nobody here. Did I imagine it? Peeta, buddy, its time you get another hobby if you're hearing things. But then I hear a sudden cry. I look up to see a form of a girl loosing grip to the edge and falling. Katniss is falling. She's fucking falling.

"No!" I yell, preparing to grab her. She falls into my arms, dazed almost to the point of passing out.

"Katniss, wake up, you can't sleep just yet." I start rubbing her face and neck with my calloused hand. She stirs. "Peeta?" We stare at each other again. "What we're you trying to do, play kat girl?" I wink at her, and she scowls.

"No, for your information, I was doing just fine without your help." She tries to get out of my grasp but she gives up when she realizes I won't let go. "Let me go."

"No." I walk back to the little shop. "Good thing I'm fucking strong."

Katniss puts an arm around my neck, "are you calling me fat? Because if you are-"

I laugh in response "No, I'm not calling you fat. I'm just stating the obvious fact that if I was weak, I would have probably dropped you." She lets go of me when we reach the same spot as last time we met.

"Why we're you up so high?" I ask, mentioning for her to come in. "I was stealing some milk for my sister so she could eat it with the cheese bread you gave me." I frown in response.

"You are very self-sacrificing" she starts playing with her hair. "I have to be, when it comes to Prim. She is the only one that keeps me from killing myself."

I smile, "I do this for my father. I live in the Capital for him to survive too. He lives in district 8. People don't realize that the Capital does have its problems. Nobody mentions it, and Snow doesn't care as long as the hunger games continue every year."

Katniss bunches her hands into fists. "I fucking hate Snow."

"I do too." We sit in silence. I make breakfast for us, and give her milk in a container for her sister. "This is not my home, you know."

She glances up from devouring her food, "It isn't? Then where do you live?"

I'm a little nervous for her next reaction. "I actually live in the president's building. I am their official baker for the parties and dinners that go on in the palace." She pushes her chair out, suddenly furious. "You're telling me your actually apart of them? You do know that they tap your ass with cameras!" I run around the table. She's quite strong, hitting me on the chest, but I'm stronger. I pin her hands above her to the wall and I'm aware at how close our faces are. She looks at me with half lidded eyes, but I can't tell what she's thinking.

"Let me go." I ignore her, "No, I'm not one of them. If I was, you would have had a peacekeeper at your door by now." Katniss doesn't say a word. "They don't keep cameras around me like they do for the others. I'm a simple baker. They've done checks on me and everything. Besides, I took down the cameras around my shop a long time ago." I'm whispering now. Her gray eyes are captivating. Her heat brings me closer. She feels it too, the struggle, the want. Her tongue dips out to lick her lips ever so slightly. I lean my head down, my lips barley grazing hers…

Katniss POV"

I was so fucking mad at him. Telling me he actually lives in the Capital. He's getting tracked every second of his life. He risked out lives for not telling me. I just met him and it seems as if he's becoming a problem to me already.

"Are you fucking serious Peeta? Do you know the consequences?" I mumble that out as I keep hitting him on his chest. I can feel his well-defined muscles. A shiver runs through me, but I try not to allow it affect me.

In rapid speed, my hands are pinned high over my head. I'm pressed against the wall with his face so close to mine that I feel his breath on my lips. This urge…this desire for him. I can't explain it myself. Gale never did this to me, so why him? Why now?

Peeta's velvet voice is in my ears but I can't concentrate on what he is saying. All I know is that he took down the cameras a while ago. So I'm safe for now. His body is now pressed against mine. He must feel the desire too because he can't stop coming closer. His breath intoxicates me. His piercing gaze dares me to make a move. Peeta's lips are so close now…

The door crashes open.

"Hey boy… Thought I'd help you with the truck load this time around. I could use some exercise away from my bottle of liquor for a second. It was Effie's idea – Oh look, who do we have here? Pinned up to the wall too? Peeta, how could you not tell me?" I squeal and push Peeta away from me. The moment is completely gone. I'm glad. I don't want complicated to top that off too. This is no birthday cake. I'm just interacting with him for Prim.

Peeta ruffles his hair a bit. "It's not like that, Haymitch." We're both blushing at being caught at such a position.

The guy, Haymitch laughs " Yeah right. Introduce me then, I don't have all day. Effie bitched at me so the sooner I'm done here, the sooner I can start drinking again" So he's a drunk eh? Oh well, if it helps with some sort of pain. I guess I shouldn't judge. My mother is in the same boat.

"My name is Katniss Everdeen." I reply before Peeta does. "Haymitch is my mentor, keeps an eye out for me in the Capital. Effie is the one who keeps me on top of everything."

"Peeta, are you some kind of star?" I tease. "Should I be asking for your autograph?"

Haymitch takes a loaf of bread and stuffs it in his mouth "You could say that. Many girls want him. Next to the Victors from the hunger games, our boy Peeta is on fire." Peeta shakes his head, "No I'm not. Don't listen to him. He's just drunk." But Haymitch doesn't hear him, mumbling something about young love and walking out the door where the truck is.

Peeta takes my hand. He's frowning and I'm confused as to why his mood changed so fast. "Katniss, I can't see someone living on the streets. My cousins lived in a shack and died from the cold winters. I have made a proposition for you."

I'm weary at his choice of words "Proposition?" I take away my hand.

"I thought of this in the morning before I heard you scream. What if I let your mom and Prim live in this old bakery? There are two rooms above us, and everything still functions."

It sounds like a very good idea. I want to accept it, "No Peeta. I just met you. How can I know you're not luring us into a trap? I swear to god, if anything happens to us –" Peeta puts a finger over my lips. "You're with me now Katniss. If you didn't have any trust in me at all you wouldn't be here. I know you're smarter than that by the looks of it."

He's right. I do have good instincts. Thanks to my father. Even I know I wouldn't be here if I thought something was wrong.

"Fine, but I can't let you do it for free."

"I know, and that's why I said proposition." He said tapping my head like a child. I scowl. "Spit it out already."

"You can live with me in the Presidents building. You're going to be a baker, just like me. It will help you make money."

"But Peeta, I don't know how to bake. I can't even decorate. You should see my stick drawings." Peeta laughs, "That's where I come in, Katniss."


End file.
